I’ve written before about United Airlines ConnectionSaver, United’s technology which holds flights for connecting passengers without jeopardizing on-time arrival or onward connections for others. Winter storms recently put United’s program to the test and the result was 2,100 connections saved in just one day.
What Is United ConnectionSaver?
With advanced technology comes the ability to adjust operations on the fly in light of predictive forecasting. As United describes its ConnectionSaver technology, which debuted in 2019:
ConnectionSaver is powered by new technology that automatically identifies departing flights that can be held for connecting customers, while ensuring those who have already boarded the aircraft arrive at their destination on time. ConnectionSaver also sends personalized text messages to every connecting customer (who has opted in to receive notifications) with clear directions to the gate for their connecting flight and information about how long the walk will take.
United’s ConnectionSaver technology automatically scans flights for customers who are making tight connections to determine if the connecting flight can be held without inconveniencing other customers. The ConnectionSaver tool takes into account factors such as the time it will take for late connecting customers to travel gate-to-gate as well as the impact the hold may have on other flights and customers.
The point is simple: if United can hold flight without jeopardizing others, it will do so. Upon arrival in connecting hub, it will also send you “walking directions” that includes expected travel time between the two gates and a map of the airport. At United’s busiest hubs like Denver International Airport or Chicago O’Hare International Airport this can be very helpful.
How United Airlines ConnectionSaver Saved 2,100 Connections In One Day
During COVID-19, with schedules reduced and United only offering one flight per day between many city pairs, ConnectionSaver has become even more important.
When winter storms blanketed much of the United States with ice and snow last week, United used the technology to save over 2,100 connections:
Winter weather can sometimes make tight connections even tighter ! 🌨 🛬🏃🏼♀️🛫🌨One day this week United held flights for more than 2,100 customers thanks to our ConnectionSaver technology. This is what “Innovating for our Customers” looks like 👇 pic.twitter.com/TIgLRukCWQ
— Linda Jojo (@ljojo) February 13, 2021
Linda Jojo is United’s Executive Vice President, Technology & Chief Digital Office.
I’ve noticed that schedules are a lot more padded these days…not that flight times are longer than before, but that schedules have not been reduced to account for far less congestion at U.S. airports. The result is that nearly every flight I take arrives at the gate 20-30 minutes early, sometimes even more. That padding is certainly conducive to Connection Saver.
CONCLUSION
For all the downsides to modern technology, smartly predicting when to hold flights is a wonderful upside to it. Kudos to United for implementing this technology and saving so many passengers unnecessary longer connections or overnights.
> Read More:
- United ConnectionSaver Tool Has Serious Potential
- United Airlines Expands ConnectionSaver To More Hubs
(H/T: View from the Wing)
My connection was late due to weather at EWR. United even held the flight for a few minutes for me, a retired employee flying for free. Ended up not making the connection, but sure is nice to know someone tried!
I dislike AA + Isom more than ever. Their D0 (D zero) + T0 (Turnaround zero) caused me to miss my connection at PHL. My aircraft arrived only 4 gates away and I watched the doors on my connecting flight being sealed as I was running from 300 feet away.
https://viewfromthewing.com/american-airlines-president-finally-acknowledges-d0-is-failing-without-the-right-resources/
https://onemileatatime.com/american-airlines-incompetence/
Obviously, United + Kirby care much more about their passengers than AA. If Kirby were still at his old employer, there’s no way that he would have allowed abhorrent D0 implementation.
It’s unthinkable that AA took AWAY discretion to hold flights from the Captain and Gate Agents.
Trust me, we, the ex and current UA flyers would love to give Kirby back to you and those who want him at any time. It was unfortunate that you missed your connection, and I understand how you feel, but Kirby, no thank you.
It’s pretty amazing that they are able to brand this and market it as a technology. I remember that 20 or 30 years ago the airlines used to do this pretty regularly, especially Delta but also UA. I imagine that it was done by some kind of dispatch or flight controller who would look at how many connecting passengers there were or if there were high status passengers, and also at the expected flight time and how soon the aircraft would be needed again. Last flight of the night, that was destined to RON would often be held for connections.
Really, kind of common sense. What’s the point of having an aircraft that is going to RON arrive 20 minutes early, or even if it is 10 minutes late and you made more connections. Especially if there are no on-line connections at the spoke.
I think the amazing thing about this technology is that the computer can tell them whether to hold…they don’t have to think about it, they don’t have to run their own projections, it’s all done for them with instruction to hold or not.
According to a UA FA that I queried, United’s ConnectionSaver is smart enough to factor in the flight crew’s daily duty time (timing out).
Also, I asked about deadheaders. She was almost certain the system factored in timing of deadheading crew that are being repositioned for another mission. I ran out of time to ask if this was also true of jumpseaters that are commuting to their crewbases for duty.